Could it be a coincidence? Perhaps, but when original material is recycled and credit is not attributed, red flags go up.
On Saturday’s “Red Eye,” aired on the Fox News Channel at 3 a.m. ET, during his “Halftime Report,” show ombudsman Andy Levy aired a clip from a recent “Tonight Show” monologue by Jay Leno.
“The Tonight Show,” May 26:
LENO: Bad news for the state of California. The Supreme Court will force the state to release something like 46,000 convicts because of prison overcrowding. But the good news – it looks like the Oakland Raiders will have more season ticket holders. Yeah, so the stadium will be packed.
Levy pointed out that the joke was remarkably similar to one he had told two nights earlier.
“Red Eye,” taped May 24:
LEVY: Supreme Court orders tens of thousands of California prisoners released. This actually might help the Raiders start selling out their home games again.
“RED EYE” HOST GREG GUTFELD: Oh nicely done. You can see, their fans are criminals.
Gutfeld speculated that time travel was responsible.
“Wow Andy, I can’t believe you traveled to the future, stole that joke from Jay, then traveled back to tell it on ‘Red Eye,’” Gutfeld said.
“Look, what’s the point of having a time machine if you’re not going to travel to the future, steal jokes from Jay Leno, then travel back to tell them on ‘Red Eye?’” Levy replied.
Levy worked in a dig at Carlos Mencia, who has a reputation for recycling jokes. “I’m actually getting that Carlos Mencia came up with this joke next Tuesday,” Levy said.
“Red Eye” co-host Bill Schultz didn’t fault Leno, just his writers. “Jay didn’t steal anything except another Dorito,” Schultz said. “His writer stole the joke. Let’s be honest here guys.”
Watch: